In 301 AD, the Emperor Diocletian made a bold but ultimately unsuccessful bid to address the inflation that was rampaging across the eastern half of the divided Roman Empire. Prices of everything from purple thread and feathers to slaves and…
Tag: Demonstrations
Deadly Clashes Pose Test for Syria’s New Leaders
At least 16 security personnel were killed on Thursday by gunmen loyal to Syria’s ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor said, in one of the deadliest clashes for Syria’s new leaders since the collapse of the Assad government. The…
He Sang in Praise of Women Exposing Their Hair. Iran Flogged Him.
A popular Iranian musician who was arrested two years ago during a crackdown on artists and academics has been punished with 74 lashes in what activists said on Thursday was a bid to humiliate him for supporting a nationwide uprising.…
Greenpeace Faces Tough Start in Trial Over Dakota Access Pipeline Protests
The opening week of the landmark trial of Greenpeace in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit by Energy Transfer over the Dakota Access Pipeline protests did not bode well for the defense. Lawyers for Greenpeace said so themselves in a petition filed in…
After a Revolution, a Move Toward Politics as Usual in Bangladesh
Some of the students whose protests kick-started a revolution in Bangladesh last year and prompted the ouster of the troubled country’s authoritarian leader, Sheikh Hasina, are now taking a more conventional route to pursue their vision for the country: They…
A New Age of Iranian Cinema Is on Display at the Oscars
A wife, wearing a nightgown and her hair uncovered, lies down next to her husband in bed. An older man and woman, drunk on red wine, dance wildly and discuss the complexities of sex and nudity at their age. A…
Rare Protest at U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Reflects Fears Over Trump
Maryna Tymchenko walked to the U.S. embassy on Wednesday morning and held up a homemade cardboard sign over her head: “Reagan would have hated it,” the sign read, alluding to the former president who famously called the Soviet Union “an…
As Truce Talks Stall, Fears Mount for Israeli Hostages in Gaza After 500 Days
For Jonathan Dekel-Chen, every day this week has been a mixture of joy and grief. He is celebrating the return of his son Sagui, who was released over the weekend as part of the cease-fire deal with Hamas. But reminders…
How a Hong Kong Artist Got Fired From McDonald’s
On a recent eight-hour shift at a McDonald’s in Hong Kong, Luke Ching, 52, wiped tables, cleared trays of half-eaten fries, emptied cups of soda and milk tea and lugged bulging trash bags to the dumpster. For him, the main…
Israeli Military Prosecutor Charges Five Soldiers in Abuse of Palestinian Detainee
An Israeli military prosecutor charged five reservist soldiers on Wednesday with abuse of a Palestinian detainee, saying it took place last year at a military base where thousands of Gazans have been held. The indictment accused soldiers at the Sde…